2010 CHEVROLET IMPALA Owners Manual

Fog Lamps#
(Fog Lamps):For vehicles with fog lamps,
the button is located on the exterior lamps control.
The exterior lamps control is located on the instrument
panel to the left of the steering column.
The ignition must be in the ON/RUN position for the fog
lamps to come on.
Press
#
to turn the fog lamps on or off. A light will
come on in the instrument panel cluster.
When the headlamps are changed to high-beam, the
fog lamps also go off.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
Instrument Panel BrightnessD
(Instrument Panel Brightness):The knob with this
symbol on it is located next to the exterior lamps control
to the left of the steering wheel. Push the knob in all the
way until it extends out and then turn the knob clockwise
or counterclockwise to brighten or dim the lights. Push
the knob back in when finished.
Courtesy LampsWhen a door is opened, the courtesy lamps
automatically come on. They make it easy for you to
enter and leave your vehicle. You can also manually
turn these lamps on by fully turning the instrument
panel brightness control clockwise.
The reading lamps, located on the rearview mirror,
can be turned on or off independent of the automatic
courtesy lamps, when the doors are closed.Dome LampThe center mounted dome lamp overhead comes on
when a door is opened. This lamp can also be turned
on by turning the instrument panel brightness control
clockwise.
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Entry LightingFor vehicles with courtesy lamps, they come on and
stay on for a set time whenever the unlock symbol
is pressed on the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter, if the vehicle has one.
If a door is opened, the lamps stay on while it is open
and then turn off automatically about 20 seconds
after the door is closed. If the unlock symbol is pressed
and no door is opened, the lamps turn off after about
20 seconds.
Entry lighting includes a feature called theater dimming.
With theater dimming, the lamps do not turn off at
the end of the delay time. Instead, they slowly dim and
then go out. The delay time is canceled if the ignition
key is turned to ON/RUN or the power door lock switch
is pressed. The lamps will dim right away.
When the ignition is on, illuminated entry is inactive,
which means the courtesy lamps will not come on unless
a door is opened.
Delayed Entry LightingDelayed entry lighting illuminates the interior for a
period of time after all the doors have been closed.
The ignition must be off for delayed entry lighting
to work. Immediately after all the doors have been
closed, the delayed entry lighting feature continues to
work until one of the following occurs:•
The ignition is in ON/RUN.
•
The doors are locked.
•
An illumination period of about 25 seconds has
elapsed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened, the
timed illumination period is canceled and the interior
lamps remain on.
4-12

Delayed Exit LightingThis feature illuminates the interior for a period of time
after the key is removed from the ignition.
The ignition must be off for delayed exit lighting to work.
When the key is removed, interior illumination activates
and remains on until one of the following occurs:•
The ignition is in ON/RUN.
•
The power door locks are activated.
•
An illumination period of 20 seconds has elapsed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened,
the timed illumination period will be canceled and the
interior lamps will remain on because a door is open.
Parade DimmingParade mode automatically prohibits the dimming of
the instrument panel displays during the daylight while
the headlamps are on so that the displays are still
able to be seen.Reading LampsThe vehicle has reading lamps that also act as the
dome lamp. Press the button near each lamp to turn
them on and off.
Map LampsThe vehicle has map lamps on the rearview mirror.
Press the button near each lamp on the mirror to turn
the map lamps on and off.Electric Power ManagementThe vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM) that
estimates the battery’s temperature and state of charge.
It then adjusts the voltage for best performance and
extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the voltage is
raised slightly to quickly bring the charge back up. When
the state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered slightly
to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a voltmeter
gage or a voltage display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the voltage move up or down.
This is normal. If there is a problem, an alert will be
displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical
loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles. This is
because the generator (alternator) may not be spinning
fast enough at idle to produce all the power that is
needed for very high electrical loads.
4-13

A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following are on, such as: headlamps, high beams,
fog lamps, rear window defogger, climate control fan at
high speed, heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer
loads, and loads plugged into accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the battery.
It does this by balancing the generator’s output and the
vehicle’s electrical needs. It can increase engine idle
speed to generate more power, whenever needed.
It can temporarily reduce the power demands of some
accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without
being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels of
corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information Center (DIC) message
might be displayed, such as BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE,
BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW, or LOW BATTERY. If this
message is displayed, it is recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as much as possible. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 4-44.
Battery Run-Down ProtectionThis feature helps prevent the battery from being drained,
if the interior courtesy lamps, reading/map lamps, visor
vanity lamps or trunk lamp are accidentally left on. If any
of these lamps are left on, they automatically turn off after
10 minutes, if the ignition is off. The lamps will not come
back on again until one of the following occurs:•
The ignition is turned on.
•
The exterior lamps control is turned off, then on
again.
The headlamps will timeout after 10 minutes, if they are
manually turned on with the ignition on or off.
4-14

Accessory Power Outlet(s)The vehicle has three 12-volt outlets which can be
used to plug in electrical equipment, such as a cellular
telephone.
On vehicles with a center console, one outlet is located
inside the center floor console and two outlets are located
at the front of the console bin under the instrument panel.
Lift the cover to access the outlet. Close the cover when
not using the outlet.
On vehicles without a center console, two are located
under the climate controls and another outlet for the rear
seat passengers is at the rear of the center front seat.
Remove the cover to access the outlets. When not using
the outlet, make sure the cover is closed.
Notice:Leaving electrical equipment plugged in for
an extended period of time while the vehicle is off
will drain the battery. Power is always supplied
to the outlets. Always unplug electrical equipment
when not in use and do not plug in equipment
that exceeds the maximum 20 ampere rating.Certain accessory plugs may not be compatible to the
accessory power outlet and could result in blown vehicle
and adapter fuses. If you experience a problem, see
your dealer/retailer for additional information on
the power accessory plugs.
Notice:Adding any electrical equipment to the
vehicle can damage it or keep other components
from working as they should. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle warranty. Do not use
equipment exceeding maximum amperage rating
of 20 amperes. Check with your dealer/retailer before
adding electrical equipment.
When adding electrical equipment, be sure to follow
the proper installation instructions included with the
equipment. Check with your dealer/retailer before adding
electrical equipment, and never use anything that
exceeds the maximum amperage rating of 20 amps.
Notice:Improper use of the power outlet can
cause damage not covered by the vehicle warranty.
Do not hang any type of accessory or accessory
bracket from the plug because the power outlets
are designed for accessory power plugs only.
4-15

Ashtray(s) and Cigarette LighterThe vehicle may have an ashtray and a cigarette lighter.
The ashtray and cigarette lighter may be located in the
console, if the vehicle has one, otherwise, they may be
located in the center armrest of the front seat.
Notice:If papers, pins, or other flammable items
are put in the ashtray, hot cigarettes or other
smoking materials could ignite them and possibly
damage the vehicle. Never put flammable items
in the ashtray.
Notice:Holding a cigarette lighter in while it is
heating does not let the lighter back away from
the heating element when it is hot. Damage from
overheating can occur to the lighter or heating
element, or a fuse could be blown. Do not hold
a cigarette lighter in while it is heating.
To use the lighter, just push it in all the way and let go.
When it is ready, it will pop back out by itself.
Climate ControlsClimate Control SystemThis vehicle may have a dual or single climate
control system. The heating, cooling, defrost,
defog and ventilation can be controlled with this
system. For vehicles with heated seats, seeHeated
Seats on page 2-6.
A. Fan Control
B. Outside Air
C. Recirculation
D. Air Delivery Mode
Control
E. Air ConditioningF. Driver and Passenger
Heated Seats
G. Driver and Passenger
Temperature Controls
H. Rear Window
Defogger Dual Zone with Optional Heated Seat Controls
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A. Fan Control
B. Outside Air
C. Temperature Control
D. RecirculationE. Air Delivery Mode
Control
F. Air Conditioning
G. Rear Window
Defogger
Temperature Control:For dual zone, turn the
thumbwheels up or down to increase or decrease
the temperature on the driver or the passenger side
of the vehicle. For single zone, turn the knob clockwise
or counterclockwise to increase or decrease the
temperature.
9
(Fan Control):Turn clockwise or counterclockwise to
increase or decrease the fan speed. Positioning the knob
between two modes, can select a combination of those
modes.
If the airflow seems low when the fan is at the highest
setting, the passenger compartment air filter may need to
be replaced. There will be some airflow noticeable from
the various outlets when driving, even with the fan in
the off position. For more information, seePassenger
Compartment Air Filter on page 4-20andScheduled
Maintenance on page 7-3.
Air Delivery Mode Control:Turn clockwise or
counterclockwise to change the direction of the airflow
inside the vehicle.
To change the current mode, select one of the following:
H
(Vent):Air is directed to the instrument panel
outlets.
)
(Bi-Level):Air is divided between the instrument
panel outlets and the floor outlets. Single Zone
4-17

6
(Floor):Air is directed to the floor outlets, with
some of the air directed to the windshield and side
window outlets. In this mode, the system automatically
selects outside air.
-
(Defog):This mode clears the windshield of fog
or moisture. Air is directed equally to the windshield and
the floor outlets. When defog is selected, the system
turns off recirculation and runs the air conditioning
compressor unless the outside temperature is below
40°F (4°C).
0
(Defrost):This mode clears the windshield of fog or
frost more quickly. Air is directed to the windshield with
some air to the side window vents and the floor vents.
When defrost is selected, the system automatically
forces outside air into the vehicle. The air conditioning
compressor will run automatically in this setting, unless
the outside temperature is below 40°F (4°C).
#
(Air Conditioning):Press to turn the air conditioning
system on or off. An indicator light comes on to show that
it is on. The air conditioning can be selected in any mode
as long as the fan is on and the outside temperature is
above freezing. A flashing indicator light indicates that the
air conditioning compressor is currently not available.
On hot days, open the windows to let hot inside air
escape; then close them. This helps to reduce the time
it takes for the vehicle to cool down. It also helps the
system to operate more efficiently.
For quick cool down on hot days, do the following:
1. Select the
H
mode.
2. Press the
#
button.
3. Select the coolest temperature for both zones.
4. Select the highest
9
speed.
5. When the coolest temperature is selected in the
A/C mode, the system automatically goes into the
recirculation mode to improve cooling.
4-18